A dish drainer or dish drying rack is commonly used to hold dishes after they have been washed and rinsed so that they may be allowed to dry. In a household setting, a dish rack is frequently placed next to a sink and may include a lower mat or plate for collecting and directing dripping water back into the sink.
Conventional dish drainers suffer from several problems. One primary concern is that they are very large and bulky, making them very difficult to store when not in use. If left on a countertop, they take up a great deal of space. In addition, current dish drainers are configured to direct dripping water in a single direction. Commonly, dish drainers have a generally rectangular footprint and divert dripping water in a direction parallel to one of the sides. This configuration for the dish drainer limits the possible placement of the dish drainer on a countertop with respect to the location of the sink. Many users may elect not to use a dish drainer at all in view of these defects.